Marina Fortification

It's time to start switching gears now, close the book on what's happening at the Marina, and look at the Marines' operations, patrolling the waters to protect the people of the Lego city from a naval or amphibious attack.

 Front and rear views of the Marina Fortification

Who am I kidding?  No one is going to try to invade the city.  I just needed a place to park some pirate boats and a Viking boat, put some cannons along the wall, and some military men to work.

 Patrol boats currently docked at the Marina Fortification

Of course, a couple of rowboats aren't hold up against anything with a motor and engine.  But they would be low key enough to go invade someone else.  Like a Navy SEAL-style operation.  Who'd expect such a low-tech fleet to come around.

 Cannons loaded and ready to go!!

Having these guys trying to go into combat with stuff like this is just as ridiculous.  Oh well, it's still a sight to see the military working all colonial-style, instead of modern warfare.  And with everything going on in the world, do we really need more war?  I know I don't.

Extra sea vessels that are not patrol-worthy

Lighthouse

With an extensive shoreline like the one in my Lego city, you need something to help people safely navigate the seas at night.  A lighthouse is the perfect solution to help prevent ships from running aground.

The Lego City Lighthouse

Fortunately, I didn't have to design this myself.  Lego took care of it for me with 31051 Lighthouse Point.  It has all the basics you need.  A small shack for the lightkeeper to stay in, a tower to put the light in, an actual light.

Stuff going on outside the lighthouse 

This set came with a couple extra things, like a young girl, some fish, seagulls, a dude with a camera, and an orca.  The dude will be the lightkeeper, and the girl his daughter.  She wants to be a marine biologist when she grows up.  Because why not?

Lighthouse Point with a sand baseplate

I will need to modify this set to rest on a sand baseplate.  I'll swap out some of the non-rectangle blue plates with those that are more squarish.  I'll also add bricks on the backside to close off the shack.  Swap out the camera with binoculars.  Add a shark.

The Lighthouse will sit next to the Marina Launch Ramp to help the ferry and other boats enter and exit the water when the sun is down and the moonlight just isn't strong enough to help an operator see the ramp.

Sets used: 31051

Marina Shop and Beach

As I was coming up with a model for my Marina area, the first building I came up with was my Marina Office.  I figured it could handle all the business that people going out on the water would need.

Then I found a 4644 Marina set at a Toys'R'Us.

The Marina Shop and Beach

It was a great solution for handling all the equipment rental business, while the Marina Office could handle boat rentals.  This also allowed me to get a lifeguard and a seaside cafe as well, to give the oceanfront a bit more character.

The lifeguard tower and rescue personal watercraft ready to save someone out in the water

The shop has a great array of equipment for rental.  A fishing rod, swim flippers, life jackets, a speargun, SCUBA tanks.  Now sure, if you're renting a boat, you'd have to haul all that stuff all the way over to the docks, then haul it back in after returning to shore.  Kind of a pain in the ass, especially at the end of the day.  Those days I've sent in a boat all afternoon in the sun, I've felt quite rundown.  Not sure how to fix this any time soon, but I could figure something out.

 The marina shop, front (left) and rear (right) views

The Paradise Cafe sitting above the marina shop works as is, but I've also considered making it an office for the lifeguards.  An idea inspired by the TV show Baywatch.  Maybe if I had a David Hasselhoff minifigure...

 The Paradise Cafe inside (left) and outside (right)

I know I said I have a beach here too, but that's still in development.  I'll also have to figure out how to connect it to the area under the lifeguard tower.  Like everything else, it's a work in progress.  Stay tuned...

Sets used: 4644

Police Dock

Someone has to be out on the water to ensure no one is up to any shenanigans, boat or otherwise.  Gotta have a cop out there to patrol the seas and keep everyone safe out there.

Police Dock and the police boat docked at it

I know, I know, cops showing up at your yacht party would be a major buzzkill.  Especially if you're doing something you shouldn't be.  You shouldn't have to worry about it, since it usually stays docked.  It'll only heads out if he gets called to check something fishy.

The police boat getting ready to shove off and find some trouble

I need a few more accessories for this police boat.  A pair of binoculars, some handcuffs, maybe a firearm, in case things get hairy or the officer runs into a kraken.

The officer checking out what's on the water and getting ready to call it in on his radio

Sets used: 6344

Marina Docks

Next to the Marina Office, there are some docks that boat owners can park their watercraft between adventures, or just load up some gear before heading out to sea for the day.

The Marina Docks

The longer space on the end is reserved for the failing boat, which residents can rent for a half or full day to go trawling for seafood.  The captain is the brother of the Marina Office's supervisor.  A group wanting to go out can head up to the window at the office to pay for its usage, then walk on down and get on board for the tour.  And they'll get more than three hours.  It's not like they are going out on the Minnow.

Boats parked out at the docks.

The other two spaces are for anyone else to park to do business in the Marina Office or haul gear on board as well.  There is plenty of room for a boat to fit in there.  Any kind of boat.  A speedboat, a personal fishing boat, even a military watercraft.  The options are endless.

Oooh, there's a parking spot right there!!

Sets used: 4642, 6596

Marina Office

Every seashore area with boats and ferries and whatnot need an office to oversee marina operations.  I got one for my Lego city.

The Marina Office

At first, it was going to handle all watercraft business operations.  Both boat and equipment rentals.  Then I found 4644 Marina at a Toys'R'Us, which had a store for equipment rental (SCUBA tanks, flippers, surfboards, fishing rods, life jackets).  My original design of the Marina Office has a service window and a cash register.  I didn't want to change it, since the office would still handle boat rentals, so I kept them.

The service window at the Marina Office

The office is elevated over the water.  I got a number of supports coming up, on which the floor is placed upon.  I felt it was a good idea to have the office propped up so the people running it could oversee boat operation a bit better than just sitting at "ground" level.  It also matched up with the elevation of the surrounding structures.

The Captain overseeing what's in the water outside the office

Sets used: 71001

Christmas Haul 2016

Well, Christmas has come and went, and you know what that means.  A massive post about what I got this year.  It's so big that I'm postponing my normally scheduled post until next month.  I got A LOT of sets.  This could take a while...

 The haul for Christmas 2016 and my birthday

First off, we'll start with the gift I got for myself.  60104 Airport Passenger Terminal is great for me to add an airport to my town.  I got a 60022 Cargo Terminal for my birthday two years ago, but I needed a building to go with it.  Although the Airport Passenger Terminal is for hauling people, not goods, it gives me a foundation for building an entire airport.

Contents of 60104 Airport Passenger Terminal

It'll probably end up being as big as my city, as we'll need plenty of room for a couple of runways.  I've got some pen and paper sketches for the layout of the airport, but no virtual model yet.  It's a couple of weeks until I start class again, so I got plenty of time to whip something up.  Expect to see that in late July.

Fully assembled contents of 60104 Airport Passenger Terminal

I got a second set to help with flight operations in town.  60102 Airport VIP Service is around to help more affluent citizens rent a private jet, with limo service to and from the airport.

No one in town is any more important that anyone else.  It's a very egalitarian society.  Sure, some people have a bit more than others, but it's through effort, hard work, and increased responsibilities.  I think I'll stop there before I get any more political.  Lego is supposed to be fun, while politics are not.

60102 Airport VIP Service contents

The employee with this set will work at the airport, while the limo service will not only service people flying on this private jet, but anyone else in town wants to rent it.  It'll belong to the taxi company.  Not that there IS much of a taxi company, but as I usually do, I'll keep my options open for expansion.

 60102 Airport VIP Service fully assembled

I got a few different minifigures.  The Lego Batman movie is due out in February, and Lego released sets related to it here in December.  My wife was able to find a few characters, Catman, March Harriet, and Zodiac Master.  I have no idea who any of them are.  I don't remember them from the campy '60s TV series or any of the films.  I never read the comics.  Where they in there, or are they completely new characters created specifically for this new Lego animated feature flick?  Regardless of their origins, I'm looking forward to the movie.

71017 Lego Batman minifigures, left to right: Catman, March Harriet, and Zodiac Master

I got a couple of others as well.  My wife and I found a Lego-like Goldy Gopher minifigure at the University of Minnesota bookstore.  It's got a couple things that normal Lego minifigs don't have, like elbows and knees.  It works in the Lego System, and it'll just be for decorative purposes, so it's good enough for me.  Especially since it IS Goldy Gopher (he's my hero).

 Goldy Gopher off-brand minifigure contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

The other minifugre is a gingerbread man that was free with my order for the Airport Passenger Terminal.  He's a bit darker in color than the 71002 Series 11 minifigure.  I was hoping this would have come with more pieces to build a gingerbread house for him.  I'm keeping the box to give me ideas to build my own to add to the Winter Carnival for the kids to check out.

5005156 Gingerbread Man

I got a 31051 Lighthouse Point, which I'll be adding to the Marina.  A lighthouse is a great addition to the shoreline, as it will help out those on the water at night see where they are going.  It also came with this cool orca figure who'll reside in the ocean, at a safe distance of course.

 31051 Lighthouse Point contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

I received a 31050 Corner Deli, another Creator set, that'll go into the plaza area.  I've almost got enough small buildings to finish off this section of town.  I know it's another restaurant-type place, but it's not sit down service like the big one I've built.  The Corner Deli will work more like a takeout/fast service eatery.

 31050 Corner Deli contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

My parents got me 60082 Dune Buggy Trailer.  My wife and I had a pretty low-key Christmas with them.  I didn't even ask for any specific set from them, but they did get me a winner here.  I don't have a desert area for running a dune buggy through, but it should be fun off-roading vehicle out near the Lake Shore area.

 60082 Dune Buggy Trailer contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

You still there?  If so, good.  We've still got a ways to go here.  I got a few Lego Dimensions sets, and some containers to store them in.  First, the characters.  My wife and I got 71251 A-Team Fun Pack and 71258 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Fun Pack.  The former wasn't really a gift for anyone.  If I remember correctly, I added onto another Lego store online order to get some bonus for spending X number of dollars.  The latter I got at GameStop after Christmas because I had a $5 store credit that had to be spent before the end of the year.

 71251 A-Team Fun Pack contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

 71258 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Fun Pack contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

Both sets will open new Year 2 content in the main Lego Dimensions game.  We'll be spending all New Years Day playing that game.  No idea what B.A. Baracus and E.T. can do for us, but I'm going to love hearing the former telling us that he's not "getting on no damn plane".  Also curious to find out who'd be doing his voice, the original Mr. T, or Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.  Both good choices, but if I had to choose, I'd want the classic.

My birthday is a few days after Christmas, and my friends Collin and Lora were kind enough to give me a gift.  I never expect my friends to get me anything.  I just want them to come hang out with me.  They got me 41578 Screeno Mixel and 3920 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey board game.

 41578 Screeno contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

They said I could just use them for miscellaneous bricks to build whatever I want, but I like them.  I've considered getting some Mixels sets since I started putting my town together, but I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with them.  With all the other animal-like creations I have and my desire to build a park, I'll put Screeno out there with the alligators and tigers and whatnot.  As for the board game, I'll play that with my wife and whatever guests we have over.  Hopefully Collin and Lora one day.

 3920 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey board game contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

That's it.  The end.  I got some gift cards from my wife's family, which I'll be using for more sets.  Probably after visiting Disney World and Martin Luther King Day.  After I start class again.  I've got a few things on my list to procure.  Buying Lego's in a never ending battle that I'm more than prepared to lose.  Bring it on.